Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparabeni’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Sunparabeni’, characterized by its upright and vining plant habit; relatively small glossy foliage; freely flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunparabeni’.

REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS:

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘Sunparapibra’ Applicant: Theo Ruys Serialnumber: Filed concurrently with this application Title: Mandevilla PlantNamed ‘Sunparavel’ Applicant: Theo Ruys Serial number: Filedconcurrently with this application

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Sunparabeni’.

The new Mandevilla is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of theMandevilla hybrida cultivar Sunmandecrim, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 15,539. The new Mandevilla was discovered and selected by theInventor from within a population of plants of the cultivar Sunmandecrimin a controlled environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands in March,2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings in Leimuiderbrug,The Netherlands, since April, 2005, has shown that the unique featuresof this new Mandevilla are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Sunparabeni have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunparabeni’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunparabeni’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and vining plant habit.    -   2. Relatively small glossy foliage.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Dark red-colored flowers.    -   5. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the parent,the cultivar Sunmandecrim, in flower color as plants of the cultivarSunmandecrim have lighter red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the Mandevillacultivar Sunparapibra, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent applicationfiled concurrently, and the Mandevilla cultivar Sunparavel, disclosed ina U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. Plants of the newMandevilla differ primarily from plants of the cultivars Sunparapibraand Sunparavel in flower color.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants of theMandevilla cultivar Sunmandecos, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.15,202. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan, plants of the new Mandevilla differed from plants of the cultivarSunmandecos in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla had shorter leaves than plants        of the cultivar Sunmandecos.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla were more freely flowering than        plants of the cultivar Sunmandecos.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the cultivar Sunmandecos        differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Mandevilla.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunparabeni’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowersand flower buds of ‘Sunparabeni’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photographs and following description were grown underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditionsduring the summer in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan forabout five months. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida cultivar Sunparabeni.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Mandevilla    hybrida cultivar Sunmandecrim, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.    15,539.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 40 days at            23° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy; light brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Perennial. Upright and vining plant habit. Vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 172 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 172 cm. Diameter:            About 2.7 mm. Internode length: About 18.4 cm. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A overlain with            178A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 7.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Base.—Rounded to cordate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 137B. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 144A. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 139A; venation, 145D. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: 146A; venation, 145D.        -   Petiole length.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 1.7 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—145D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers            racemose; flowers face mostly outwardly. Flowers not            persistent. Freely flowering habit, about five flowers per            inflorescence.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; summer to            late autumn in Japan; flowering continuous during this            period.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 13 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13 cm.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            five-parted; petals imbricate; flowers roughly star-shaped.            Diameter: About 8 cm. Depth (length): About 7.8 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 7.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: 60A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five            petals, fused into flared trumpet; petals imbricate. Petal            length: About 3.9 cm. Petal width: About 2.7 cm. Petal            shape: Spatulate. Petal apex: Acuminate. Petal margin:            Entire, undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface:            N57A. Petal, when opening, lower surface: 53D. Petal, fully            opened, upper surface: 58B; color becoming closer to 55A            with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: 53D.            Tube: 54D. Throat: N25A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five per flower in a single            whorl; fused. Length: About 8.6 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Aristate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature,            upper surface: 145C. Color, immature, lower surface: 145B.            Color, mature, upper and lower surfaces: 145C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Color: 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 2.1 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Color: 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement:            Typically five; filaments fused to corolla; anthers,            connivent. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther size: About 1 cm            by 1 mm. Anther color: 11C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: 155B. Pistils: Quantity: Typically one. Pistil            length: About 2.5 cm. Stigma shape: Conical. Stigma color:            145D. Style length: About 2.5 cm. Style color: 145D. Ovary            color: 144C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 4° C. to about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparabeni’ asillustrated and described.